Ian Waugh: Broadcaster, Historian & Archivist
A Voice Through the Years
I’m Ian Waugh — a British broadcaster and historian who’s always been drawn to life’s quieter stories. Since 1972, I’ve worked in radio and television across the UK and overseas. From local ITV voiceovers to media training projects abroad, my work has always been about one thing: sharing and preserving good stories.
Though now retired from active broadcasting, I remain tuned in — usually to BBC Radio 4 or the World Service — and deeply immersed in my work documenting overlooked voices from history. You’ll find my reflections, sharp observations, and occasional musings on m’Blog and, when the mood strikes, I contribute on X.
Devon at My Core
I was born in Bridport, Dorset, in 1954 while my father was working with the BBC.
By 1957, our family had returned to Devon—my spiritual and cultural home ever since, though branches of my family have lived in South Devon for centuries. We lived in the Stationmaster’s House at Princetown, high on Dartmoor, where my father worked at the BBC’s North Hessary Tor transmitter.
Devon’s moors, wild coasts and quiet stubbornness shaped who I am. I moved to Tavistock in 1962 and endured my school years there — years I hated, marked by constant bullying and a deep sense that I didn’t belong. Leaving school was a relief. It was only later, working in Plymouth, that I found something that truly spoke to me — broadcasting.
Though I’ve also lived in Kent, Surrey, Norfolk, the East Midlands, London -Islington, Croydon, Harrow, Richmond – and travelled extensively in Africa and Europe, Devon is the bedrock of my being.
The Broadcast Journey
Broadcasting was, in a way, the family business. My father joined the BBC in 1944 at age 17, transmitting the European Service to occupied Europe. I followed in his footsteps, beginning in the early 1970s as a freelance voice-over artist for Westward Television. From there, I expanded into HTV and Southern Television, building a foundation in voicing.
By 1980, I had relocated to Exeter to become a full-time daily presenter and later Head of Presentation at a new local radio station in Devon. My voice connected with neighbours, not strangers. Local radio in the 1980s was dynamic, unpretentious and deeply personal — and I thrived in that environment.
Over time, I worked with stations across southern England, honing my style and building strong listener relationships in what many now call the golden age of commercial local radio.
Broadcasting Abroad
From 1987 onwards, my work began to take me far beyond Britain. Funded by the British Council and other international partners, I travelled extensively, helping to develop and support public broadcasting services in countries undergoing significant change.
I worked in Zimbabwe, Malta, and Namibia, serving as a broadcast presentation adviser. In each of these roles, I collaborated closely with national radio and television teams – guiding them as they developed their on-air identity, refined their programming, and learned how to build authentic, lasting connections with increasingly diverse and dynamic audiences.
But the work was never just about media. It became a form of mentorship, grounded in trust and cultural sensitivity. It involved diplomacy, listening, learning and mutual respect. Every day brought new lessons – in communication, in humanity, and in the power of storytelling across borders.
Those years abroad left a profound impact on me. They widened my horizons and gave me a far deeper appreciation for the role broadcasting plays not just in information delivery, but in shaping national identity, empowering communities, and bridging cultural divides.
Preserving the Past
A 1930s photo from my collection, taken in Paignton, Devon
Long before the term “digital archiving” was commonplace, I was collecting, preserving and contextualising historical material. My passion lies not in grand battles or prime ministers, but in the lives of ordinary people – the forgotten, the misremembered, the almost-erased.
Through my site Old Days, I curate these stories and share them freely. Old letters, grainy photographs, court transcripts – each piece a thread in our national memory.
I believe history lives in the everyday: in birthdays missed, headlines buried, names etched on fading envelopes.
Projects that Matter
Old British News
I run Old British News, a free, volunteer-led service offering scanned and transcribed historical newspaper articles from 1750 to 1950. This project supports students, researchers and genealogists worldwide — because access to history should never be behind a paywall.
The Old Days
My Archive Collections is my online home for social history—where I collect, preserve and showcase the small stories that illuminate wider truths. From handwritten letters to forgotten family snapshots, it’s a place where personal memory and public history meet.
Princetown Railway
PrincetownRailway.co.uk is a dedicated archive and research project focused on one of England’s most scenic and remote former railway lines. I explore the history, personal stories, photographs and cultural significance of the old GWR branch to Princetown on Dartmoor—where I once lived as a child in the former Stationmaster’s House. The line closed in 1956, but its memory endures through this curated historical site.
DevonAir Radio Archive
I manage and maintain devonairradio.co.uk, a dedicated website that safeguards and celebrates the legacy of one of Devon’s most beloved independent local radio stations, preserving its unique voice, spirit and history for future generations.
The Man They Could Not Hang
The Man They Could Not Hang is my investigative research hub into the life, trial and remarkable survival of John ‘Babbacombe’ Lee — the Devon man who survived three failed hanging attempts in 1885. The case gripped Victorian Britain and left a legacy of folklore, legal controversy, and sensational press coverage.
This project gathers together original newspaper reports, trial records, biographies, and critical analysis. It aims to separate myth from fact while preserving the mystery and humanity of a man caught in one of the most extraordinary episodes in British criminal history.
Hedley Churchward (Mahmoud Mobarek) (1862 -1929)
He was an English painter and theatrical set designer. After converting to Islam, he became known as Al-Hajj Hedley Churchward, or Mahmoud Mobarek, and in 1910 was the first recorded British Muslim to perform the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. I have been researching this incredible man who is also a relative of mine.
My Life Now
In the 1990s, I experienced two strokes and developed advanced osteoarthritis. These health challenges left me partially immobile and significantly disabled. While this changed the pace and shape of my life, it did not diminish my resolve.
I’ve adapted. I stay active in the work I love — writing, researching, mentoring where I can and curating public memory. I believe in honesty, humanity and the enduring value of real conversation.
Get in Touch
If you’d like to reach out — whether to ask a question, share a memory, or request historical material — I’d be pleased to hear from you.